Automatic pedal-folder for player-pianos and the like.



P. 0. WHITE. AUTOMATIC PEDAL FOLDER FOB. PLAYER PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 14 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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coulnlu' PLANOGRAPH C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. WHITE, OF MERIIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VIILCOX & WHITE COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC PEDAL-FOLDER FOR PLAYER-PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed November 14, 1912. Serial No. 731,383.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK C. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, New Haven county, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Pedal- Folders for Player-Pianos and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

My invention relates to improvements in player mechanisms for pianos and the like.

This invention relates more particularly to means for automatically controlling the pumping pedals whereby when the instrument is ready for playing, the pedals Wlll drop down from a folded to the operative position, and when the instrument is closed up or restored to a position where the instrument is to be played manually, the said pumping pedals will be automatically folded into the casing out of the way.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram matic illustration of certain parts of a keyboard instrument equipped with a mechanical player and showing such parts as are essential to a full understanding of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view.

In the drawings, 1 represents the lower front panel of a piano casing suitably cut away so that the pedals described may be folded into said space.

2 represents the key bed.

3 represents an ordinary piano key.

4: represents a foot pedal or pumping pedal, two usually being provided.

5 represents a support for the pumping pedal, the same being pivoted at 6 and arranged to swing down into the operative or extended position indicated in the drawings, or folded up to a vertical or retired position wherein the foot pedal 4: is housed from view within the piano casing.

7 is the usual equalizer bellows having a movable backboard 8. This equalizer bellows is distended by means of a spring 9 and is collapsed by means of a suitable exhauster bellows 7 which is suitably connected with the foot pedal at by well known linkage, conventionally shown. In the present instance, the equalizer bellows is utilized for holding up the foot pedal and its support, the expanding movement of said equalizer bellows being employed for this act as hereinafter described.

10 is a counterbalancing spring which at one end suitably engages with an appropriate bracket 11 on the support 5, and at the other end is held by an adjustable abutment 12. In the form shown, this spring has an intermediate coil which surrounds a support 13. The function of this spring 10 is simply to carry part of the weight of the support 5 and foot pedal 4 when said pedal is down in its operative position, thus making it easy to start the same on its folding movement. The means for folding up the foot pedal and its support comprises a lever 14 pivotally mount ed at 15 and connected by a link 16 with a lever 17 pivoted at 18 and carrying a hook link 19.

20 is a hook at the end of the link 1 which operates as a latch and is arranged to engage a latch pin 21 carried by the movable backboard 8 of the equalizer bellows 7.

lVhen the parts are in position for mechanical playing, the foot pedal and the other parts assume the position shown in the drawings in which the latch link 19 is lifted so that as the backboard 8 0f the equalizer bellows moves to and fro during the operation of the instrument, the pin 21 will not engage the hook. hen, how ever, the hook 20 engages the pin, the outward movement of the backboard 8 will cause the lever 17 to swing and will,

through the medium of link 16 and lever 14, swing the pedal support and the pedal 4 up to the vertical position. When the instrument is being played mechanically, the latch link 19 is held elevated by means of a trip wire 22 connected to a lever 23 pivoted at 24. One arm of this lever 23 is suitably connected with a link 25, which in turn is connected with a movable key slip 26, which, when open, will move the lever 23 to such a position as to lift the latch trip 22 so that said hook 20 cannot engage the latch pin 21. \Vhen, however the key slip 26 is shifted to cover the customary con trolling devices, one of which is indicated at 26 this act of shifting the key slip will result in the dropping of the latch link 19 to a position where it can engage the latch pin 21. If the operator now continues for a moment to pump on the pedal 1 to a degree sufiicient to collapse the equalizer bellows, the backboard 8 will be drawn in until its latch pin engages the hook 20. As soon as the pumping on the pedal 4 ceases, the backboard 8 of the equalizer bellows will move out as the bellowsisdistended by the spring 9, which movement will, through the medium of the levers heretofore described, swing the pedal support 5 and pedal & up into the folded position.

27 is a relief valve suitably associated with the eXhauster bellows and by which a free vent may be given to the eXhauster-bellows when it-is performingthe function of folds ing up the pedals, thereby facilitating that actand making it move quickly. This relief valve 27 is opened bymeans of a bellcrank lever28, which latter is suitably connected with the-lever 17 as by means of a link 29. As will beseen'from the drawings, when the lever 17 moves in a direction to fold upv the pedal 4, this movement will, throughthe medium ofzlink- 29, instantly open the relief valve-27, allowing air to freely flow into .the equalizer bellows so as to give thespring ,9 free play.

lVhileit is important tov pr-ovideimeans for mechanically or automatically folding up the foot pedals, itis also. very 'desirable to provide means whereby the foot pedals may be extended or opened to the operative position, which actis controllable-by the-mere act of preparing the instrument ready for mechanical: playing, hence. I: utilize. one of the usual andeasi-ly accessibleqparts of the player, in this instance thekey slip'26, as the controlling element. Tothat .end I pro.- vide means whereby thesmere act of moving thekey slip 26=from its closed to its open position, shown in thedrawings, will release the foot pedals i andthe' support 5 and swing, them outwardly so, that they may descend by gravity to the open :operativei-position. This means comprisesa connection between the key slip, 26 and the lever 14. This connection in its preferred form com-. prises a pedal trip rod 30 connected atone end-to the lever 23 and at itsother endto the link 16. In this particular instance, the link 16 is provided. with i an offset arm 31 through'the end of whiclrthe trip rod 30 slides. Therod 30.is provided with an ad justable button or abutment 32 so that when the latter is lifted by theopening movement of the key slip 26, it will engage the arm 31 and lift thelink16, in turn swinging the lever 14: in ,an outwarddirection to start the pedal land the support 5 fromits fold-' ed position toward its open; or operative position'to whi'ch-itmay descend by gravity,.being cushioned in-its descent by. the balance spring-10. From the foregoingv it will be seen that notonly is anautomatic mechanical power device employed for: fold ingthe pedals when it-is not desired to, play pedal from either of its. two positions toward its other position, andalso have employed one oft-he i-egularparts of the player mechanism as the manually controlled device for determining themoment ofvoperation of said 'self-actingmeans, it is-obvious that the invention should not be thus limited in its broadest aspect, .itbeing, as I believe, broadly new to provide: in an instrument of this character means which. is capable of imparting both a'folding movement-to the pedals as Well as anun-folding :movement thereto to thereby guaranteethe positive and certain folding up. of the pedals when the instrument isitoi be closed or putin condition-formanual playingyand to also guarantee the certain swinging down of the foot pedals to the. extended or operative position when the instrument is to beeplayedmechanicallyand the keyaslip 20 is open;

WVhat Iclaim is:

1. In a pneumatic player apparatus, movable pumping pedal mechanism having, an extended position and a retired position, power controlledmeans, to movesaid pedal mechanism from. the extended to theretired position, and manually controllable, means cooperating therewithifor starting said pedal mechanism onQits movement from its retired toward its extended position.

2. In a pneumatic player'apparatus, movable pumping pedal mechanism having an extended position, and; a retired position, power controlled means to move sald pedal mechanism from the extended 'to the retired position, and. manually controllable means 3.-.In a player piano, movable pumping.

pedal mechanism having an extended position and a retlred posit-ion,powercontrolled means to move -sa1d pedal mechanism from the extended to theeretired position, vand manually controllable means for-starting said pedal mechanism on its movement from its retired toward its extended position, saidananually,

controllable means cooperating with said power mechanism to couple and uncouple the latter with said pedal mechanism, said manually controllable means comprising a movable key slip.

4:. In an apparatus of the character described for mechanical player mechanism, a foldable foot pedal pumping mechanism, a collapsible bellows, a spring for normally distending said bellows, a connection between the movable part of said bellows and said pumping pedal mechanism to fold up said pumping pedal mechanism by the distention of said bellows, a relief valve connected with said bellows, with means for opening said valve when said bellows is being distended for the purpose of folding said pumping pedal mechanism.

5. In a musical instrument, the combination of pumping pedal mechanism movable into and from operative position, including a collapsible bellows arranged to move said pedals positively into the inoperative position, and a relief valve for said bellows to permit the same to operate freely when performing said work.

6. In a keyboard musical instrument, the combination of pumping pedal mechanism movable into and from operative position, including a collapsible bellows arranged to move said pedals positively into the inoperative position, a relief valve for said bellows to permit the same to operate freely when performing said work, a pneumatic means for putting said bellows in condition to move said pedals to said inoperative position, and a manually controllable means adjacent to the keyboard for opening said relief valve.

7. In a pneumatic player apparatus, in combination with a movable pumping pedal mechanism having an extended position and a retired position, power controlled means to move said pedal mechanism from the extended to the retired position, and means cooperating therewith for starting said pedal mechanism on its movement from its retired toward its extended position.

FRANK C. IVHIIE.

Witnesses:

E. E. Morass, L. S. JAMES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

